Reaper
by akamagerain
Summary: A soul reaper is one who stays out of human sight. Yet, there he was making friends with an awfully familiar one. A Zervis!SoulReaper AU. Warnings: Souls do get reaped, blood mention and a healthy(?) amount of angst.


_**This one is for the bro, taleen777. May our broness will outlast Zeref's age.**_

* * *

 _ **Reaper**_

* * *

Zeref was really excited.

It was his first day, and he aimed to impress the Lord of the Spirit Realm by doing as good a job as he could.

Of reaping souls.

Well one soul at a time, unless there was an accident or a calamity, but that was usually handled by the more experienced the soul reapers. Or _grim_ reapers as they were also supposedly known as.

Zeref wondered why they were called so. He was a nice, cheery guy as far as he knew, and so was the Spirit Lord - there was nothing particularly grim about either of them. Then again, he knew nothing about humans, he _was_ only a newborn reaper after all.

His Highness had told him the name 'grim reaper' came about because his kind brought along with them sadness and grief. He explained that death in general brought pain and that it wasn't his or any other reaper's fault. They were doing their job, ensuring that the circle of life continues its merry spin, generation after generation.

And those were the very words that had Zeref strive to do an excellent job.

Internally giddy with excitement but doing his best to behave with dignity, Zeref stood before the Spirit Lord and had his cloak and amulet ceremoniously put on his being.

The amulet was his means of doing his job, while the cloak would protect him in the mortal realm from wary human eyes.

 _'Proceed with caution, little one.'_ The Spirit Lord's voice boomed. _'And all the very best on your mission.'_ He offered a kindly grin that helped with Zeref's nerves. _'I will see you next, when it's your turn to move on,'_ he told him as he tapped him on the forehead and sent him to the mortal realm.

Zeref wasn't sure what he was talking about but before he actually had a chance to mull over those words, he felt the ground beneath him drop.

The journey was harsh. He was assaulted by a myriad of different smells and sounds and colours and sensations, all of which put together was so terribly dizzying that he would have thrown up had it been physically possible for him to.

The horrid experience came to an abrupt end when he landed with all the grace of a sack of potatoes, crashing flat on his bum.

Gingerly, he got up, and took a look around. He was surprised to find that the realm of the humans was far bigger and much more crowded than he had anticipated.

And quite different too.

There were fewer trees, the clouds were up above, not beneath him, the air smelled weird and there were so many tall grey structures. He wondered who they were erected for and what purpose they serve - did these people want to physically reach for the heavens?

He was in the middle of the appreciation of the world when he felt the magic in him pulse.

There was a ripe soul to reap.

Zeref followed his instinct, and it seemed to lead him through the main city. He was a very curious fellow, ever eager to learn, so while he did try to not be tardy and reach his assignment on time, he couldn't help sparing an extra glance or two at the many things that caught his eye along the way - from the large, moving metal contraptions they seemed to be willingly going inside, to everyone's weird clothing; and from giant bright screens on the tall structures to the little ones they seemed to all carry in their palms.

He did try to ensure he didn't get too distracted while on duty, but he couldn't help but stop while going through what was called the "City Park".

There was a girl sitting under a tree with one of those funny devices on her lap. Zeref didn't mean digress from his path to go peek at it, but he couldn't help it. She wasn't tapping it the way the others were furiously tapping their little ones. She was only staring at it, her eyes darting across it, as if she were... _reading!_

She was reading! It was a book!

How did she fit an entire book in that flimsily thin thing?

And he watched in awe, as she gently touched it with a fingertip just once and the screen dissolved and reappeared as a brand new page.

"Ma'am!" Zeref called to the blond girl, moving to stand in front of her so her hair (tied up to the side for some reason) wasn't obstructing his view of her.

"Ma'am," he repeated when she didn't reply, "I need you to tell me what that is!" he implored.

But she didn't reply.

He tried again, and again, but to no avail. She never responded. And when she finally did, it wasn't to answer him, but to greet a short blue haired girl approaching them.

How rude.

He had been fuming when he realised why she couldn't - just as the blue haired girl walked through him.

She couldn't see or hear him.

Fair enough.

But did that mean he'd never know what that thing was?

Not if he could help it.

But for now he had a soul to reap (he suddenly reminded himself) and hurried on to it.

With a determined spring in his step, he walked briskly towards the little cottage from where his supernatural summons was coming from. It was clearly falling apart and in disrepair, visibly in need for a lot of fixing and new paint job.

Shrugging, he stepped inside with a wide smile, walking straight through the door, excitement mounting as he prepared to do his best and impress the Spirit Lord.

That was, until, he reached the lone bedroom in the tiny house.

A little girl, she would be no taller than his knees, was lying in the single rickety bed there. She, much like the house, had most definitely seen better days.

She was very _very_ thin, much thinner that any of the humans he had seen today. Her cheeks were sunken in, so unlike the full, rosy faces of the little children he had seen in the park. She was whispering in a tiny raspy voice to the lady sitting next to her, who tenderly held her tiny, frail hand.

Zeref realised that the little girl was crying. She was hurting and crying. He felt angry wondering why the lady wasn't doing more to stop the little one's anguish. All the lady did was apologise softly, crying as she did.

But the more he heard, the more Zeref knew the mother meant every single word. She truly was sorry. She couldn't afford to help her child. And she was in between her apology when Zeref understood what he had to do - end the little girl's suffering. He gingerly reached over and touched the one tiny toe peeking from underneath the blanket.

Visible only to Zeref, her little body began to glow, something that could only be defined as raw energy began to hover over it, pooling into a large bright sphere.

The little girl's soul left behind her body and made its way to Zeref and, just like he was instructed to, he guided her into the amulet around his neck - the souls' gateway to the Spirit Realm.

He felt her soul. It was so pure, so alive, devoid of any of the grief or suffering she had undergone for who knows how long before that moment. It gave Zeref hope for her, and he prayed for her soul to move on successfully, happily.

But as he opened his eyes, he found himself still in that room. The mother was on the bed now, holding her child's body close to her, screaming her name through relentless tears.

 _'Asuka,'_ he thought absently. _'What a lovely name.'_

He walked up to the long haired lady, wanting to tell her that her child was well, that she was free.

But he couldn't find the words. He realised that even if her soul had moved on, her mother would still feel her loss, and that she would never get to see her again in this lifetime.

He still wanted to help the lady, ensure she didn't fall apart any further. She looked so fragile, her voice now only able to hoarsely whisper her daughter's name.

Just as he noted what a loss he was in, the door behind him opened and a man rushed in, calling the lady's name.

The lady, Bisca, didn't have to tell her husband what had happened, he knew as soon as he entered that room, a choked sob escaping him at the sight.

Tears streaming down his face, he smashed the bottle of pills he was carrying on the wall next to him, before he stumbled to the bed and held his family close. Bisca turned to him and held him, neither of them exchanging any words.

They just held each other and cried.

Zeref left the room, feeling like was intruding on a very private moment, feeling like he was to blame for their suffering.

He never noticed his own tears.

Just before leaving the door, his gaze landed upon a photograph hung on the wall. Unlike everything else in the house, the frame seemed new and well maintained. Inside was an image of the people in the bedroom, nowhere near resembling the state he had just left them in.

Bisca and her husband were beaming down proudly at their daughter in their arms. She looked much healthier, a mischievous spark in her eye, a gentle pink dusting the apples of her cheeks. She was holding up a small snowglobe that was obviously very precious to her and the family.

They looked so well, so happy.

They _had been_ so happy.

That snowglobe was nowhere to be seen now.

And all of a sudden, Zeref didn't feel the urge to impress the Spirit Lord anymore.

* * *

That had been three years ago.

Since then Zeref had learnt more, discovered more. Reaped more.

He had found he liked classical music, particularly the violin, and learnt the difference between a smartphone, a television, a tablet and a Kindle.

And as entertaining all of those things were, he felt books were still the best. Their easy accessibility definitely helped. In fact, when no one was around the public or local university library, he would sneak books underneath his cloak, look for nooks not covered by the CCTV cameras and read. He found he loved reading, non-fiction especially. He loved learning of the wondrous accomplishments the humans came up with, as well as their biggest failures. Humans were such curious beings!

Fiction? Not so much. Death, and soul reapers like him were almost always treated like the bad guys that the main characters were to defeat, symbolically and sometimes even literally.

Like he didn't hate his job enough already.

At least it didn't hurt as much anymore, he liked to believe it didn't anyway.

After the first couple of hundred souls, he felt he had grown somewhat of a thick skin. Though, it still hurt each time he would end up witnessing the loved ones react to the loss and even more so when there was no one.

Death was never pretty. You'd think after witnessing several thousand Zeref would be used to it. He initially thought so too. Until the next "call" came, and he found himself dreading what he'd see.

He knew this would end someday. One day, he would hit some magic number and he would be able to stop this and "move on" like the Spirit Lord said.

It was a day he felt couldn't come sooner.

He was strolling through a new town, looking for their library when the next call came.

Cringing, he rerouted to follow the summoning, manoeuvring his way around the town and finding himself at a...pub?

This was new.

"Fairy Tail" read the board.

Huh.

Do Fairies even have tails?

Shrugging, he entered the pub and made his way to the second floor.

He quietly entered the lone door and noticed a woman - very obviously a woman. She had long blonde tresses swept over one shoulder, her back facing him. Bare.

She seemed to pause in her actions, as though sensing him. That was nothing particularly new, there were quite a few humans who were sensitive enough to subconsciously feel his presence in the room. They didn't know what they were feeling though or why, just a chill and some goosebumps.

But then this one also ducked behind the occupied bed, before she peeked from above it and screamed.

She _looked at him_ and screamed.

That had never happened before. Ever.

Dumbfounded, Zeref could only back away a little, as the door slammed open and three men entered, walking straight through him.

"Are you alright Mavis? Is _she_ alright!?" one of the men yelled.

But "Mavis" hadn't stopped staring at him.

"Mavis?" The blonde one called, unsure.

That seemed to get to her sea-green orbs off of him.

"Oh sorry, Yuriy."

What a nice voice.

"And Precht and Warrod. I thought I saw something. And no, don't worry she's fine Yuriy, I just thought I saw something that wasn't there." she reassured with a smile. "I'm sorry for startling you guys."

The men sighed. So did Zeref. A false alarm. One hell of a false alarm, though.

Phew.

The men walked out of the room, and back downstairs, while Zeref politely turned away. Invisible or not, he was no creepy pervert, and the lady clearly wasn't fully decent.

"Umm..who are you?" she asked gingerly.

Zeref had to do a mental double take. Did she just -

"E-excuse me, who are you and what are you doing in my room?" Her voice was sterner now.

Back still facing her, he tried replying, testing his voice for the first time in years.

"I'm me."

Wow. So eloquent.

She clearly felt the same, since she only laughed at the response - clearly seeing no threat in it. "Well, hello! My name is Mavis. Are you a ghost?"

"N-not quite," he answered, suddenly unsure. Was he allowed to tell her he was a soul reaper? He was never instructed on how to talk to a human being! What was the protocol?!

"Oh my! Are you a Fairy?!" she nearly squealed.

Despite himself, Zeref couldn't help the laughter that bubbled out of him.

"Now that I'm not," he chuckled before adding, "No tail, see?"

"I can't."

"That's because there isn't one there."

"No, I can't see _you_."

Zeref's brows furrowed. Weirdly enough, some small part of him was actually disappointed. "But didn't you just look at me? How did you know I was here if you couldn't see me?"

"I can't see you. I can sense you being here, though. Hear you too apparently."

This was a lot of information to take.

"Are you my guardian angel then?" she asked excitedly.

Despite everything, Zeref found that he liked her enthusiasm.

"Something like that," he smiled. Yeah, he was her soul's guardian angel. Nothing bad would happen to it as long as he could help it.

"Oh yay!"

Zeref suddenly sensed her come real close and managed to dodge just before he leaping hug made contact with him, causing a now fully clothed Mavis to crash face first into the wall behind him.

He laughed.

"Hey, how rude! That hurt you know! Why're you still laughing?"

And Zeref couldn't stop. He absently wondered if he had finally cracked under the pressure of his job.

"You shouldn't touch me," he said, wiping a tear, "you'll get hurt."

Well, technically die.

But who's looking at technicals?

"I will?"

"Yeah."

"Hmm, okay. But you're one strange guardian angel," she giggled and Zeref couldn't help but smile along.

"So what finally brought you to me?"

"My job," he said plainly startling as he remembered the call of the soul brought him to the room, shocked to find it wasn't calling anymore.

What a day full of firsts this was.

Zeref scanned the room, and his eyes landing once more on the bed Mavis had hidden behind.

"Who's the person lying there?" He had to know how they managed to tame the call of a soul ready to leave.

"Oh, she's my friend's fiancee."

Zeref instinctively hated how sad she sounded.

"She was involved in an accident. She's healthy now, nowhere near as bad as she had been, but she hasn't woken up yet. Gave us quite the scare earlier today too! She just stopped breathing! But it was nothing a little CPR couldn't solve."

Zeref was glad she was as talkative as she was, thus allowing him to know so much of this curious non-assignment. He then recalled having read about near-death experiences. Had the lady in front of him just been through one? Was that what he felt earlier?

Zeref looked at Mavis who was quiet all of a sudden a worried expression marring her face. "I hope she's going to be okay," she whispered.

"She is," Zeref assured quickly, disliking the sight of the upset girl. "I know these things."

That cheered her up instantly and she made to hug him when he warned her once again.

"So you can't get hugs?" She sounded like he was missing out on the best book in the library.

"Not really."

Mavis frowned, before turning around and opening a drawer. Zeref watched curiously as she pulled out what looked like a tiny stuffed elephant and placed it in front of his feet.

"Take that," she said.

She was met only with silence she correctly read as confused.

"Pick it up.." She prompted and Zeref did so obediently, not sure where she was going with this.

"Now hold it close to your chest," and he did. "And squeeze it."

Puzzled as he was, Zeref did as he was told. "But what's the point of this exercise?"

Mavis simply beamed. "You've now been hugged by my elephant."

Zeref's eyes widened. He looked down at the happy looking plush toy and smiled softly at it.

Yeah, that did sort of feel nice.

Looking up at her, he wondered if her hugs would feel better.

Wait, what?

Zeref shook his head. "I must leave," he announced abruptly, tucking away the plush toy in his robe, his thoughts a mess.

"What? Why?" She sounded wounded. She _actually_ sounded wounded.

"I - I've somewhere else I need to be."

Mavis pouted. "Oh, okay. But be back soon! It's good to have your guardian spirit around," she added smiling.

Zeref smiled back, not that she could see, and was about to leave when she called out to him.

"Wait, what do I call you?"

Not stopping in his exit, thought for a moment and shrugged, deciding to go with the truth here. What harm could it do?

"The name's Zeref," he called, just as he passed through the wall.

Which meant he didn't see how her eyes widened, moist with tears, or how she dropped to her knees unable to support herself.

Nor when she stood up to run to the wall he had disappeared through, clawing at it begging for him to come back, alarming her friends once more who pulled her back as she collapsed under the weight of her sorrow.

She didn't know when he would be back, she was sur ever see him remembered a time not too long ago when she thought she never would.

"Oh God," she whispered breaking down fully. "Oh God, Zeref. It's you."

* * *

And she didn't sense him around for the next year.

Try as she might, she couldn't find him before, going as far as snooping around town waiting for that little 'ping' that would tell her he was around - bookshops and libraries in particular.

And then one fine day, Yuriy fell ill. Really ill. And only got worse with each passing day. It was horrible to witness, his best friends and wife doing their best to make it as comfortable for him as possible. It was all they could do.

There was no denying it, Yuriy was going to leave them.

Mavis kept up a very happy appearance for everyone - they all knew Yuriy and Mavis had had a special bond and she didn't want them worrying for her. She had perfected the art of keeping it together for show by now.

But alone, she couldn't help her tears caused by sadness, loneliness and the fear of losing yet another one she loved and cared for.

Why were the Fates so cruel to her?

It was one night while she was in between such a spell of sadness that she felt him.

Immediately, she ran to the pub infirmary - Yuriy had requested to stay there in his final days for "old memories' sake" - and opened the door.

He was there.

She was sure of it.

"Zeref?" she croaked, throat fatigued after her crying.

Zeref did not reply.

"Zeref I know you're here. Please. Listen to me. I - **_Yuriy!_** "

She ran over to his bed, searching for his palm and looking for a pulse. His chest was alarmingly still, and she couldn't feel a pulse.

"No," she whispered, tears falling unbidden. "No, Yuriy. Not so soon, please no."

She dropped to her knees, resting her forehead on the mattress, crying. She had to wake the others, they had to know.

But she didn't have the strength, her mind rushing with happy memories tainted by the overwhelming sadness. Going into a shutdown, her mind decided to deviate from memories of her now deceased best friend. And what that resulted in wasn't something she liked one bit.

Suddenly still, she took in a deep breath. "Zeref." She turned to where he could still feel him standing. Silently.

"Are you a death spirit?"

"A soul reaper," he corrected gruffly.

"And you took away Yuriy?"

"It was his time."

"And how would you know that!?"

"His soul told me so."

Mavis had no response for a while, simply staring him down. But that lasted only a few more minutes before she began crying again - helpless to do anything. To even feel angry at him.

It was a state of being Zeref was far too familiar with. Something he eventually saw in nearly everyone left behind after a reaping.

Acceptance.

Still, Zeref was torn. He had assumed he had long since passed the point in time where his job would bring him so much overwhelming sadness, but yet here he was, his heart breaking at the sight of the blonde women crumpled on the floor.

And there was nothing he could do.

Not even give a hug.

Then again, he was the one to cause her so much heartache to start with.

He was about to silently leave her, when an idea occurred to him.

Moments later, feeling like he really must, Zeref began to leave, a small raspy voice stopping him in his tracks.

"Y-you still kept this?" Mavis asked in disbelief, holding close the stuffed elephant that had been gently handed to her.

"He serves his purpose well. And you really could do with his hugs," he replied softly.

"Is he happy? Yuriy, I mean."

"He is at peace. I am not permitted to answer beyond that."

Mavis didn't seem to need more. "I'm glad," she whispered, before wiping her tears and pushing herself to her feet. "I must inform everyone else," she added somberly.

Zeref nodded, forgetting she couldn't actually see him, and was then surprised when she spoke again, voice laced with... a hint of hope?

"If it's okay, please still be here later?"

"A-as long as I'm not required elsewhere," he found himself promising without a thought.

Mavis nodded softly before stepping out of the room.

Despite the turn of events, Zeref relished how his heart skipped at the prospect of meeting the curious lady once again.

He hadn't really felt it do anything aside from breaking for years now, after all.

* * *

Hours later that very night, Zeref and Mavis sat on the balcony outside her room in the pub premises.

It was a very bittersweet evening, and Mavis did most of the talking when she could, comfortable silences filling in the gaps when she couldn't.

She cried more, but also shared fond memories of her team. Zeref learnt that this wasn't her first time losing someone close to her and he felt mad at the Fates for even daring to bring any kind of harm to someone so warm.

And she was.

While still obviously in deep pain, she still wore a genuine smile, choosing to look for the good in everything - people, situations, circumstances, heck even him.

And that warmth felt so new and refreshing, but also vaguely familiar as well. He found himself thriving in it.

"Ah, I must go to bed. We need to prepare for the funeral," she said sadly.

"I understand. Good night, Mavis."

He was surprised to find that she was staring at him. No, she was looking at him but seeing something else.

Ah, invisibility.

"I missed you," she whispered softly.

"We've met only once?" Zeref asked, though he did feel very honoured that she would.

Mavis only smiled softly, tears gathering again and Zeref had to fight every instinct to wipe it away. He wondered how he knew what doing that would feel like.

"Goodnight, Zeref," she replied simply.

"Sweet dreams, Mavis," he responded with as much warmth.

He got off the balcony after she left and began his usual nightly wandering on the street.

Not for the first time, he wondered what sleeping felt like.

Not quite noticing his gentle grin, and the soft pink dusting his cheeks.

* * *

The next few weeks found Zeref meeting Mavis whenever he could. His job still hurt, but being with her made him feel better.

She was filling in blanks he didn't know he had. From scientific concepts he couldn't wrap his head around to emotional conundrums he couldn't understand, she took the time to patiently explain.

They spent hours discussing and debating and it brought in him an energy he didn't know he could ever have.

And it'd always end in the same way.

Him wishing her a good evening.

And her doing the same, with the most curious expression in her eyes - the same as when she confessed to having missed him.

It took him long enough, but Zeref began to understand there could have been much more to that look that merely missing him. But he would always shake off the idea - the feeling of foreboding that the thought always brought about ensuring that he did.

A feeling that was explained one fine afternoon.

A happy discussion on the nature of capitalism had been interrupted when Mavis had to step out and put an on-going brawl to a stop.

As Mavis waved apologetically, Zeref found himself once again in awe of how the young women held such power at a mere twenty years of age.

He was distracted, however, when he heard the sound of metal hitting wood.

Following the noise, he found a pendant lying on the floor, near the door.

The one she always wore.

Curious, he brought his hands from under his cloak to pick it up. After toying with it a bit, he found the little button that snapped the little thing open.

Inside was a very cute photograph - a young looking girl, very obviously Mavis, grinning widely at the camera. Next to her was a dark-haired boy, his arm holding her close to him, and his gaze permanently locked on her, with so much love, Zeref felt he was intruding on something very private.

But what he felt far more was jealousy. Cold, bitter jealousy at the man who was able to hold her like that, love her so openly.

His gaze began scanning the lid, finding a little engraving.

One that had his blood run cold.

 _'For the darker it gets, the brighter you shine. And that only makes me love you more. -Zeref'_

Zeref.

ZEREF.

Zeref dropped the necklace as if it had burned him. And in a way, it really had.

Immediately he was assaulted with a wave images - faces he couldn't recognise, a little pink haired boy who called him brother, books, more people, blood.

So much blood.

In seconds, Zeref's brain deciphered that he was remembering. That these images were memories.

And she was there too. Mavis smiling, twirling around showing a new dress, laughing at him being scared of the roller coaster, posing for a photo on that very date, their first kiss.

 _Her crying. Her screaming for him. His hands covered in blood._

 _His entire family dead._

 _Their killer smiling at him._

 _Her holding his hand, begging him to not close his eyes._

 _Him unable to honour that wish._

 _Him meeting the Spirit Lord._

Zeref held his head his hands, and couldn't help the screams that tore out of his throat.

He vaguely heard Mavis running up the stairs and opening the door, but he was too lost in his memories to care.

"Oh Zeref!" she gasped, kneeling beside him, understanding the moment she saw the open locket on the floor.

He couldn't. He just couldn't.

"Stay away from me!" Zeref yelled, scampering away from her. Before she could get another word out, he was opening the window and dashing out. Ignoring her screams for him.

Ignoring how pained they sounded.

Ignoring how even that was so familiar.

* * *

Mavis simply assumed she had lost him again.

It had been years after all.

Now a detective with the local police, with highest closed cases in the city - mMurders being her speciality.

But there was one particular person she had been tracking for years now. Technically even before she had joined the force.

And now she was finally one step ahead of him.

Her entire team now stood just as she had planned, the ambush all in place as the giant man walked in.

Mavis had to use every fibre in her being to not have every bullet on her team fired into his body. This man, who had taken so much from her.

So much from _him_.

"Your hands where I can see them," she said her voice loud, clear and unwavering as the large man turned around.

"Nice to finally meet you, Acnologia," she sneered.

"Vermilion," he grunted back.

She noted with not a small amount of joy how his eyes flickered across the abandoned apartment. There was no hope for him to go. He was surrounded on all four sides - her men on three and the one with the wall.

Acnologia raised his hands in the air, but his demeanour was still the same - calm and cocky.

As if he hadn't lost yet.

Immediately, Mavis' head began whirring with possibilities just as he began the one window in the room.

It meant pushing through at least five officers and taking nearly twice as many bullets, but Acnologia succeeded and climbed out.

Falling ten floors.

"Dammit," Mavis hissed, rushing out and down the stairs.

She knew before she had kneeled next to the body what she would find.

Well, she thought she did.

While he was indeed dead what she saw was the remains glowing. And seated opposite her was -

"Zeref!" she gasped. Seeing him smile back at her.

Actually _seeing_ him smile back at her.

"Thank you," he said, now glowing himself. "His was the one I was waiting for. Now, I can finally move on."

"No," she said, tears streaming freely, "no no no, you can't leave! I can't lose you again, please, no!"

His eyes were sympathetic, but so full of the love she had always seen there, that the separation only hurt her more.

"Live a long, happy life. I can't be with you anymore, but I will be waiting for you, Mavis," he promised and she only had the wherewithal to nod.

"I love you!" she cried out. "I'm so sorry I never said it but I love you, I have for so long, please don't go!"

"I know," was his soft reply. And with one final confession of his own feelings for her, he disappeared in a flash of light.

And Mavis crumpled to the floor in tears.

* * *

Mavis could only keep so much of her promise of living a long life.

She had worked hard, and made even more friends than before, despite her occupation.

She was saving lives and making her city a better place on a daily basis and that brought her genuine happiness. She had even found one Natsu Dragneel - a new recruit and Zeref's younger brother - who had apparently survived the assault on his family.

 _'If only he knew,'_ she had mused sadly.

The job wasn't without its dangers though, and one day they caught up to her.

She found herself caught in an alleyway with a small girl that needed protecting. And was shot at right as reinforcements came in.

The last thing she remembered was her regret of not ensuring a long life for herself.

And wondering how the little blonde girl's eyes looked so much like Zeref's.

.

.

When she woke up, she found herself lying on someone's lap under a tree - one with a golden canopy.

"Ah, you're finally awake," came a voice. Before Mavis could be two and two together, her view of the tree was blocked by a beaming face.

 _His_ beaming face.

She sat up, and through happy tears, confessed her love once again, before sealing it with their first kiss.

And with that Mavis felt a safety she hadn't ever known, one that came with the confidence that the Fates could no longer bring them any harm.

Now that they were finally together.

* * *

 _ **Thank you for reading! Do let me know what you thought of my very first attempt**_ **at _Zervis! :D_**


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